Hydroventure: Spin Cycle review – water ride

For a while there we were worried that we were the only ones that even knew Hydroventure existed. The original game was released for WiiWare on Christmas Eve 2010 and despite enjoying it hugely we’ve never heard a single person mention it since. We hope the same doesn’t happen to this 3DS sequel, but at least Nintendo seem to appreciate the game.

Of course it doesn’t help that the series is called Fluidity outside of Europe, thereby ensuring that if you do happen to hear any Americans talking about it you’ll have no idea what they’re on about. You’re also unlikely to be taken in by the game’s new super cute mascot, which suggests a game considerably less interesting than it actually is.

The original Hydroventure didn’t have much of a story, just something about a magic book being covered in evil goo. That’s pretty much what’s happening here too, except now a wizard owns four different books and there are rainbow drops with rictus grins and a talking blob of water called Eddy. It’s all about as charming as an angry Rottweiler, but thankfully it’s all ignored while you’re actually playing so you shouldn’t let it put you off.

The whole of Hydroventure takes place within the pages of a series of four books. They’re storybooks this time, instead of the school textbooks of the first game, and feature things like dinosaurs, spaceships, and medieval battles.

Spin Cycle is purposefully not in 3D because it’s all controlled using the 3DS’s motion sensors (so it’d be impossible to focus your eyes in the normal manner). You tilt the console left and right and the whole book turns with you, a little like LocoRoco on the PSP. This moves the newly anthropomorphised puddle of water in an impressively realistically manner, as it becomes easily separated if you don’t keep it pooled together.

The levels in Spin Cycle are generally smaller and more focused than the original, but they still come across like a more puzzle-orientated Metroidvania game. This includes learning new abilities such as jumping, exploding (not as dangerous as it sounds when you’re water), and turning into ice or steam.

Jumping is made a lot easier once you earn the ability to gather yourself together T-1000 style, as disconnected droplets come running back to you like errant puppies. Traditional video game enemies are rare though (mostly just fiery slugs – although there is the occasional boss battle) and the majority of the game is spent trying to figure out physics-based puzzles such as collecting cogs to work machinery or weighing down buckets with your own mass.

Although changing form is achieved at special stations most of your other abilities, and activating switches, is achieved by pressing buttons on the touchscreen – which works fine. But Spin Cycle also introduces a whole new kind of level where you can rotate the 3DS round 360 degrees, to explore more maze-like levels where you’re often able to change the direction of gravity.

These are amongst the game’s best-designed stages but we constantly found ourselves pressing the Home button by mistake and pausing the game. You eventually learn to hold the 3DS in such a way that you usually avoid it, but we still played these levels half in fear we were going to accidentally shut down the game.

This of course would never happen on a smartphone, but Nintendo are publishing Hydroventure themselves so it’s obvious that they value the British team at Curve Studios and are trying to keep them to themselves. We hope they’re given more projects too because Spin Cycle is an impressively complete package, with plenty of levels, a set of unlockable mini-games, and great presentation.

The water physics are especially good, even better than the Wii original, and despite what could be some confusing layouts and distracting backgrounds it’s always very obvious where you can and cannot go.

It’s been a bad few months for the 3DS in terms of retail games but its eShop has really been picking up the slack. In fact it’s been pretty good right from the start, and yet this is still one of the best downloads available. In fact if it wasn’t for the minor control issues there wouldn’t be anything to be a wet blanket about at all.

In Short: Another inspired mix of Metroidvania and traditional puzzler, and certainly one of the best games on the 3DS’s eShop.

Pros: Clever premise and fiendishly-designed puzzles, with a wide range of different abilities. Great presentation and excellent visuals. Good value for money.

Cons: The controls during the 360 degree levels are a real pain, even though it’s not really the game’s fault. Charmless story elements.